New Culture, an animal-free dairy company, has announced that its groundbreaking casein protein, produced without any animal inputs, has been deemed safe for consumption. The world’s first casein protein of its kind has received self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status following a thorough review by an independent panel of scientific and toxicology experts. This achievement allows New Culture’s casein to be sold, used, and consumed in the United States like any other food ingredient.
The GRAS status was achieved due to New Culture’s casein closely matching the identity and macro-nutritional profile of cow casein while being manufactured through a reproducible, industry-standard, and food-safe process known as precision fermentation. This method has been utilized for decades to create food ingredients and pharmaceuticals in a cost-effective, sustainable, and animal-free manner. New Culture plans to notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its self-GRAS determination in the near future.
Casein is a crucial component in transforming milk into various dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt, whipped cream, and confections. New Culture’s animal-free casein offers the same taste, texture, and functionality as conventional dairy products but is free from lactose, cholesterol, and trace hormones and antibiotics. Moreover, it significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, land and water usage.
New Culture’s first product, mozzarella for pizzerias, exhibits the same melting, stretching, bubbling, and browning properties as traditional cheese, with an authentic mouthfeel and texture that plant-based alternatives often lack.
Inja Radman, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at New Culture, expressed her pride in the team’s accomplishment, stating, “Securing another ‘world’s first’ for our animal-free casein is a testament to our hardworking and innovative team at New Culture. Achieving GRAS status demonstrates that animal inputs are unnecessary for producing casein protein, marking an essential milestone on our path toward commercialization.”
New Culture’s focus on casein protein sets the company apart in the transition to an animal-free dairy future, as it overcomes the unique challenges associated with producing this essential component.
